I would say this picture sums it up pretty clearly. No I did not take this, though I wish I had. This was context of article: A guy rides this motorcycle around South Africa looking for the best waves, carrying only a tent, surfboard, and necessities. Pretty awesome. Thought I would share.
Have you ever looked back on your past and thought, "I hated that time in my life"? Just recently I spoke with someone at my church who had gone through a hard time about three years ago. Break up, depression and a few other circumstances had left him broken and let down. And as we sat there and discussed, we came to a conclusion (whether we actually made it out to be a conclusion or I thought it was the conclusion, it was the conclusion):
The turmoil in our past is what God uses to mold us into the future, and we will forever be grateful for it.
No one likes to hear that. No one thinks, "Man I love hard times and I hope they keep occurring because God is shaping me into something great." I mean maybe some people think that way, but I know that I do not. I can look back on multiple occasions and remember, with great detail, me hating what I was going through at that time. Parents divorce, quitting soccer, break ups, denial...you name it; I hated it.
Did I hate God? No. Did I hate myself? No. Did I hate those involved? No. I hated the feeling of defeat...the feeling of struggle...the feeling of weakness...the feeling of lose...sadness...doubt...frustration. And the list goes on.
But, in spite of all this, I can honestly look back and know that there was a reason for it all. Yes, there was a reason my parents got divorced. Yes, there was a reason I left home and partied way to much. Yes, there was a reason that I lived a second life. Yes, there was a reason I went through multiple break ups. Yes, there was a reason I quit collegiate sports. Yes...yes...yes.
Romans 5:3-5 says, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
I am thankful for the tests God puts me through. I am thankful for loss and failure. Life isn't suppose to be easy, nor is it meant to be planned. If it were, imagine how boring life would be.
Every situation is like a glass: You have two ways of looking at a glass...half empty or half full. I guess it's your choice to decide which one it is.
I suggest, if you find a road like this, you should follow it. Never know what may turn up.
May lead to something, or it may lead to nothing. You'll never know until you follow it. Thankfully my dog kept pulling me in this direction.
More often times then not, I forget to laugh.
Laugh at life.
Laugh at myself.
Laugh at my decision making process.
Laugh at my horrible grammar.
Laugh at my wife.
Laughing is essential to healthy living, or at least in my heart it is. Why spend the day frowning? Its horrible for you, horrible for others, and I don't know about you, but laughing is far more fun.
This one makes me laugh quite often, and there is no one else in the world I would rather laugh with.
I mean just last night, we laughed all night because our new dog was cuddling all over the place and acting funny.
Oh...wait...yes...we got a new dog. Crazy right? Baby on the way and we decide on a brand spanking new puppy. Good thing I married a dog lover...she might as well be the dog whisperer.
Meet Hurley. He is a pure bread Australian Shepherd and is already kicking butt. Super stoked for another companion to fill the shoes of Marley.
He is so little a squishy, like a Furby...lets just hope it doesn't talk like one of those horrible toys.
On a side note, who ever invented a Furby was probably some what crazy cause things were scary, annoying, ugly, and extremely irritating...mine found its way to the trash in about 2 days.
Anyways, I suppose I'll throw a few more in just to bring joy and excitement to your day.
And you may ask, "Where did you happen to get him?" Well I am glad you asked.
I have never been to a "holler". Heard it in country songs half a dozen times, but still had yet to explore one, or let alone even know what it is.
And for those of you who were in the same boat as me, a holler is a valley in between two hills or mountains in the south. Either created by a river, or creek, or man made, it is a self-contained area, somewhat enclosed, out in the middle of know where.
Now I'll have to admit, I was somewhat nervous, following someone I'd never met out to their farm in a holler at dusk, but I am quite glad that I did. Here is the holler:
Needless to say, these people could of killed us out there and no one would have ever known.
But it was beautiful. Nothing like I have ever quite seen before.
People may call us crazy...engaged in four months, married in 10 months, move to Kentucky, pregnant in 1 month, and now another puppy.
Like our plates weren't full already.
But I'll tell you what, I would rather have a full plate then an empty one.
I would rather bite off more then I could chew, then be starving for more.
Life isn't about being satisfied, at least it isn't for me. Life isn't about being comfortable.
My wife and I have come to the conclusion that we thrive on change. Yes we like consistency, and rhythm, but being comfortable just isn't our cup of tea.
And I am glad to admit that.
People called us crazy when we got engaged, married, pregnant, moved and got a puppy. And thank the Lord we are crazy, cause crazy is far more exciting, fun and entertaining then being comfortably normal.
Thrive in the changes of life and throw a curve ball every now and then.
Anyone can hit a fastball.
And last week, I stuffed my face with these, and my fingers smelt like BBQ for a couple days. It was a delicious couple of days.
Alice in "Alice in Wonderland" put it best:
"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense."
Until next time.
-JTD-
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